Rosso Corsa has been slowly amassing the world’s greatest roster full of new wave, electro and warm 1980s vibes. I was first introduced to them as a result of Mitch Murder’s Burning Chrome release. Short of going back to some of the classic Harold Faltermeyer releases and various soundtracks from that time, I hadn’t heard anything from our current generation that even came close. They have kept such a cohesive sound through all of their artists releases thus far and their artwork consistently has that same bright neon feeling. It’s cheeky without being overly comedic about it.

Lazerhawk’s Visitors LP dropped this week and it is full of magical arp lines and neon soundscapes. It’s like a trip down the foggy coast in the middle of the night on Highway 101 in your chromed out UFO, with multi-colored lights pulsating to every beat. The album art, designed by the talented Michael Delaporte only adds to the overall feeling. Add this to the list of releases that could use a vinyl edition – I need to be able to feel this in my hands while listening on headphones.

If you haven’t been exposed to what Rosso Corsa is doing, consider this your prep course. I can’t wait to hear what these guys do next.

Source – Lazerhawk via Bandcamp

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a sucker for a well done time lapse. Very Large Array + motion graphics + time lapse = Yes.

When I first learned that Anuj (Del Dot) was coming on board to join the Nueva Forma team not too long ago I was pretty excited. When I then found out what his current collegiate studies include, I knew we would be in for some serious math beats. He does not disappoint.

From the start on this debut EP, Anuj sets up the pacing perfectly. Lulling you into a comfortable setting with an ambient intro before pulling out the stops and assaulting you with his twisted breaks and dilated melodies. With every note and every glitchy percussion hit coursing through the veins of these tracks and hitting you relentlessly, there is a certain warm comfort to it all. A very human vibe pushes its way through and I think that’s what really sets this release apart. When I listen to Roll A Hard Six and Won’t C U Again I can’t help but hear the little pervasive elements of jazz that have intertwined themselves in his sonic palette. It’s a welcome addition to what is otherwise a very cold and digital genre.

While the style itself isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, his fresh approach to it certainly is. I’m looking forward to hearing more from him as he continues to learn and apply new techniques to this lush, bit-crushed, challenging soundscape. Nab it from the Nueva Forma shop if you haven’t already.

Source: Nueva Forma

The simplicity of this video is what draws me in. The solitary sounds of hands working as the blade gently cuts away the various pieces, revealing bit by bit, something astounding. Something peculiar. Something worth waiting for. When the needle finally hits the vinyl, we are treated to a new sound, a visual representation of sampling in a simple and sincere form.

This one has been out for a little over a year now but I keep coming back to it time and time again. I pretty much instantly fell in love with the glitchy, synth and sample happy disco house-electro 80′s sound that Audiosynthes produces. There is a lot to like about this full length. It’s sexy as hell. I wound up using one of his tracks in my last Nueva Forma Listening Pleasures so if you haven’t been properly introduced by now, please take the time to do so. It’s a free download over at the Ritmo Sportivo (splendid label with some great sounds by the way) Bandcamp page.

Ritmo Sportivo Bandcamp
Audiosynthes Soundcloud

The lads over at King Deluxe have had some seriously nice releases in the last year. Option Command’s Horizon Glow EP is a prime example of the magic coming from that label right now. To be honest with you, the first thing that struck me about this release was the 8 bit cover art courtesy of Hollis Brown Thornton. This EP absolutely begs for a physical release – nice glossy vinyl with a big orange sleeve. I’m a sucker for the cohesive blending of an artist’s music and the cover art that accompanies it. When it’s done right, it makes the music experience that much more enjoyable. In this case, it amplifies the lo-fi digital and organic sounds that mingle so well on this release. The 8 bit and lo-fi elements just seem to teeter on the edge, accessible and nostalgic, but not overwhelming so. If there was ever a fantasy Snes game floating around in my head, this would most certainly be its hip hop soundtrack. One of my favorite releases of 2011, no question about it.